Follow your Heart not your Head
by lezonne
Summary: Pansy always had it in her head that she had to be with Draco. But even he doesn't see the connection. What happens when someone finally breaks through her thick skull and helps remind her why she's so obsessed with the relationship? Boot camps inside. Complete my dears.


Written for the _Your Favorite Hogwarts House Boot Camp _prompt 37: Wish Upon a Star.

Written for the _Favorite Era Boot Camp (trio Era)_ prompt 41: Hurt.

Written for the _Character Trait Boot Camp_ prompt 13: obsessive!

Written for the _Character Diversity Boot Camp Challenge _prompt 31: Sorrow, focusing on Pansy.

Written for the _Pairing Diversity Boot Camp _prompt 34: Butterfly Kisses.

* * *

He watched from afar, watching her heart break and her world crumble with each new rejection. He couldn't see in her what others could, and he used and abused his power. From his place on the sideline, Blaise watched it happen time and again.

She was smitten with him, absolutely overpowered by his presence. He blamed it on a silly thought instilled in her head at a young age by her father. A father who wasn't even around anymore. A father who left her family high and dry and forced her mother to straighten things out after he ran away when things got too hard.

Her mother was like Blaise's own, in a way. She carried the family, she did what she had to. Of course, no one else's mother had married five times, mysteriously had each husband die or disappear, and inherited even more of their money. Yeah, even Blaise could admit it was suspicious at times.

But the idea stuck inside her head had nothing to do with her mother. Rather, her father, implanted the idea in her mind at a very young age. And when he abandoned them, she felt it was her obligation to see the idea through, taking it as more of a truth than a joke. She wouldn't let anyone deter her determination to complete it either.

Pansy Parkinson was determined she had to marry Draco Malfoy. She felt that she had to. She needed to live up to her father's idea, one that was full of truth only in her mind. Everyone else knew it was a joke, an arranged marriage that would never be seen through. And it didn't help matters either that Draco was constantly throwing her off of him.

Even now, Blaise could see her heart breaking.

"Pansy," he thundered, rubbing the bridge of his nose. From his hidden position in an alcove, Blaise could observe the non-existent couple talking. "For the last time, I'm not going to date you. I'm not _ever _going to date you! When will you get that through your head? I'm with Astoria, and for once in my bloody life I thought that I might actually try and be loyal to someone. Can you just respect that already?"

"Draco," she muttered, placing her hands on her hips. "When are you going to stop denying it? We're supposed to get married! Our parents set it up-"

"Over a lot of drinks one drunken night," he finished, shaking his head. "It's not a real deal Pansy, it never was. They don't expect us to marry; your father doesn't expect us to marry! There was never any truth in the matter!"

"How do you know?" she asked her back to Blaise. He was unable to see the pleading look in her eyes. "We were only five."

"Because I've asked my mother enough times to know that it's not true. Look Pansy, we both know you don't love me, and I definitely don't love you. Stop trying to complete some ridiculous promise that our parents set up! You're not even honoring your father like you think you are; he didn't have the decency to stay around."

"Don't talk about my father!" she screamed, giving him a shove. "You know nothing about him!"

"I know enough to know that he left you a long time ago. Our families are friends Pansy, I do know a thing or two. But again, that was back when we were five. Its fifth year now, and I have more than enough on my plate to have better things to worry about than a forgotten agreement. I have a girlfriend Pansy, and I'm a pawn to the Dark Lord. So stop bothering me, would you? I don't have time to waste on you."

"It's not a waste if you'd just admit that we should be together!"

"But we're _not_," the blond corrected, stepping away from her. "You need to let this fantasy of yours go Pansy, because it's never going to come true. I will never be with you."

He left her standing in the hallway, defeated like usual. The blond headed in the opposite direction from where Blaise stood, making the Italian wonder why he was always so hard on her feelings. True, he could be so much worse, but he didn't sugar-coat things either. And Pansy was one of his oldest, closest friends. He shouldn't be so carefree about her emotions. She was, in her own messed up way, convinced that she had to marry Draco to honor her father.

Blaise got the feeling that she only acted that way because she missed him. She'd never had a step-father, and he didn't foresee her mother re-marrying anytime soon. In some strange, twisted way, Blaise got the feeling that Pansy thought her father might return if she went through with the promise. She certainly missed him more than she loved Draco.

But it wouldn't work, and deep down she probably knew it. Pansy hadn't been the same since her father left years ago. She was always a bit sad, too defensive, and constantly trying to find attention. She missed the constancy of her father in her life, something Blaise didn't know the feeling of. He just wished she would let go.

She wanted to make her father proud. Blaise wished she would worry about her own happiness instead. Pansy dragged herself through the dirt trying to get Draco to like her when it was nothing more than an ill-fated attempt in the end. It wouldn't work.

She was hurting herself, and she didn't even realize it. By not allowing herself to couple with anyone, to find compassion in someone who might actually care for her, she was causing herself so much pain. Her obsession with satisfying a deal her father made ages ago was eating at her, even if no one cared for it anyone.

Pansy needed to let go.

And Blaise planned to help her.

* * *

It was days after her latest conversation with Draco before Blaise attempted to speak to her. He wanted her to feel good, to feel better, but he gave her some space. For the next few days she could be seen eating little and talking less. He sincerely hoped she would get over this.

But she didn't, and when Blaise saw no other alternative her decided to step in. He found her in the Slytherin common room late one night, legs tucked under her as she looked out one of the special windows out at the sky. They needed special windows down there, considering that the common room is actually in the dungeons, beneath the black lake. Otherwise there would be no way to see anything outside.

Sitting down beside her, it took a moment for the raven-haired beauty to notice his presence. Looking away from the window she turned and met his eyes, one single emotion pressing through all the others, to the front of her eyes; hurt.

"What are you doing?" he asked after a moment, relaxing into the seat beside her. She shrugged, glancing out the window again.

"Star watching," she responded, tucking some of her hair behind her ear. "Nothing stupendous."

"Are you wishing on a star?" he continued, genuinely curious. She shook her head at him, giving him a funny look.

"That's silly Blaise. We both know nothing ever comes from wishing on balls of fire. No, I'm not wishing on anything. Wishing does nothing."

"No, it doesn't," he agreed, studying her. "Have you eaten lately Pansy? You're looking a bit thin."

She shrugged again. "I've eaten enough, if that's what you're asking. Daphne got on me about the same thing earlier."

"And she should. You haven't been eating lately Pans, everyone can see that. How bout we hop down to the kitchens and make the house elves feed us?"

"I think not," she retorted, leaning back in her chair as well, crossing her arms. "As I said, I've eaten enough."

"Sure you have," he replied with a sigh. There was a pregnant pause between them before either one spoke again. "Pansy?"

"Hmm?"

"Don't you ever get tired of lying to yourself?"

She stiffened then, squaring her shoulders as she glanced his way. "I haven't the slightest idea what you mean."

He shook his head. "Yes, you do. You're dragging yourself through the dirt trying to get Draco to like you."

"I am not!"

He ran a hand over his face, wondering what was the best way to go about this. In reality, there probably wasn't one. "Look, Pans, everyone can see it. I know it's not great to admit-"

"There's nothing to admit!" she snapped, jumping from her seat. The lingering spectators in the common room glanced their way, curious. "Draco and I will be together. It's meant to be that way."

Blaise did his best to ignore the spectators as he continued to speak. "Yes, but do your mind and heart agree? Could you ever really see yourself with Draco, as his wife, forever?"

"That doesn't matter! My father set it up to be that way."

"But your father is no longer here," he urged, leaning forward in his seat. "He doesn't care-"

Blaise didn't finish his sentence. He was cut off by the painful slap to the side of his face. It hurt, and he had to reach up and gingerly touch the skin as the stinging went down. She slapped him. She actually slapped him.

Pansy never got physical when this topic came up. Not once. Something was different tonight. He looked back at her to begin apologizing for being rude, but she wasn't there anymore. Actually, she was across the room, leaving the common room. He heard the portrait slam and sighed, looking at the way she'd gone. Their spectators stood around, shoulders high up next to their ears and curious eyes looking back at him. Some of them appeared alarmed by Pansy's sudden burst of anger, but most of them seemed sad. Everyone knew Pansy, simply because she was Pansy, and everyone knew what she beat herself up over. Or at least, the upperclassmen did.

He groaned, rubbing his eyes several times with the heel of his hand. Now he would have to go after her, have to make sure she was okay. He couldn't just leave things as they were, after all. He did care about her.

By the time he got out into the corridor, Pansy was nowhere to be found. He sighed, withholding the idea of using a tracking spell. Draco did that once, after having depressed her for the third time in one day, and she had run off to the Forbidden Forest. Pansy's mental side wasn't all that great, and sometimes Blaise worried what she would do in times of great sorrow. That time, he'd gone off with Draco, Daphne and Theo to look for her. They found her not too far into the place, knees tucked up to her chin while she quietly sobbed. They took her to the infirmary, conveniently forgetting to mention that they had to retrieve her from the Forbidden Forest first. Yes indeed, his group of Slytherin friends had some tails that could indeed rival Potter's.

Well, maybe.

But that didn't matter right now. Pansy was beside herself when she figured out they used a tracking spell on her. She said that it was because they didn't trust her, which really had nothing to do with anything. She just had trust issues, brought on by the father who left her at an early age. She never quite got over it.

He didn't even want to risk the possibility of something else for her to argue about. Groaning, he decided to do things the old fashioned way; pocketing his wand he started searching for her without the use of magic.

It took quite some time. When he did find her, Blaise found that his efforts had been wasted. He checked every open room he passed by to see if she snuck in. But when he located her, she was sitting out in the open on the first floor, leaning against a window. Had he just walked in a straight line he could've found her much sooner. Hesitantly, he approached her.

"Go away," she said, even before he could speak. Her voice came out choked and strained, and he realized that she was crying. All too often, he found her that way.

Not heading what she said, he moved to the other side of the window and looked at her. She in turn fixed her gaze out the window. "Now, we both know I won't do that."

"You should," the raven-haired girl replied, letting a tear graze down her face. He reached out and brushed it away.

"Don't cry Pansy," he said, feeling like a jerk. "I didn't mean to-"

"It's not you," she muttered, pushing his hand back. "It has nothing to do with you."

He frowned, cocking his head to the side. "Oh?"

The woman nodded, pursing her lips. "It has to do with my father."

"Pansy, I know what I said-"

"No," she whispered, before he could even finish his sentence, "Don't take it back."

He blinked, a bit surprised by that. "What?"

"Don't take back what you said," she repeated, fiddling with her fingers. "You were right… I… I shouldn't focus so much on something he said in the past."

He wouldn't let her stop there. "Why's that?"

"Because… he's not here anymore. He ran away."

"And?"

Her eyes snapped up to meet his. "Because I don't love Draco."

Blaise smiled softly then, extending a hand towards her. She took it hesitantly, and he pulled them down to the floor, backs against the wall. Their knees were touching as they sat there together.

"Exactly."

Pansy shook her head. "I don't understand."

"You finally get it. You don't need to live up to a proposition your father set up, when he isn't even here to see it through. If Lucius Malfoy isn't pushing for anything, then you shouldn't feel pressured to try and get Draco to side with you and go forward with this arranged marriage. You should be thankful that you're not going to be forced into anything. Most Pureblood's aren't nearly that lucky."

She shrugged, not seeing the silver lining. "Perhaps."

He still had a hold of her hand, and gave it a squeeze. "No Pansy, yes. You have choices, okay? You don't need to worry about upsetting your father."

"Because he isn't even here?"

The Italian paused then, seeing now what he had said to hurt her. "Yes, because of that. If he wants to miss out on seeing you every day, then that's his loss. You didn't run away from your father."

"You're right. My father ran away from me."

He squeezed her hand again. "Yes, but now you see. You can be with whoever you would like o be."

Pansy grew quiet. Her eyes drifted down to their interlocked fingers, and the close proximity with which they were sitting. Her eyebrows rose a bit at his words, something clicking.

"You've been wanting to date me, haven't you?"

"Excuse me?!" He was completely thrown by her words.

She shrugged, gently pulling from his grip. "That's why you persist that I move on from Draco more than anyone else, huh? Because you'd secretly like to date me."

Her ability to switch things around so quickly was mind-boggling. Blaise actually had to take a moment to compose himself. "So what if I do? This hardly seems like the time to push for anything?"

She shrugged, feeling slightly giddy. So maybe she couldn't have Draco, but Blaise was even better. She never really spent much time looking at Blaise since she was so bloody focused on the blond, but now that she had the time she took a moment to give him a once-over.

Well, she was a little blind.

Pansy stood without explanation, composing herself. "Why don't you talk to me about it in a week then? I think I have a few things to sort out beforehand."

He arched an eyebrow, watching his friend walk away. What had gotten into her? He thought she was internally depressed.

But then, he'd never quite understood Pansy Parkinson. She could be a puzzle at times, one which he was eager to solve.

Standing, he couldn't help but smirk a bit. He had a pretty good feeling what would happen in a week.

* * *

The note came to him via the mail system one week later. She was absent from breakfast, something that worried him. But once he received the note, he instantly felt better.

_Are you ready for your answer? Meet me by the lake in one hour._

Blaise practically ran out the door. He was eager to see what her response would be. Over the last several days, Pansy's attitude and health and improved; everyone could see it. And she wasn't trailing Malfoy anymore either. The blond was unsurprisingly relieved.

The wind kissed his cheeks like butterflies as he raced outside. Distantly he could see her form standing by the lake, the cool morning breeze blowing her hair in the distance. Now he was anxious to see what she had to say.

He had a pretty good feeling why she had moved on from Malfoy. And he couldn't help the grin that spread across his cheeks as he approached her. Today was shaping up to be a very good day.

* * *

**A/n: **Trying my hand at this couple. Any thoughts? This story was kind of a drabble, and I just wanted to get a feel for the pairing more than anything. I leave the final outcome up to you as the readers to decide :) Hope you enjoyed this little story.


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